Minting History : How changes in coinage help us to understand the ancient past

Coinage was first used in the ancient Mediterranean at the beginning of the sixth century BC. Over the next 1000 years, changes in coinage production, use, and decoration, often reflect important political, social, and cultural changes.

The exhibition Minting History surveys over two dozen ancient gold, silver and bronze coins, produced by communities including the Greeks, Romans, Persians, and Celts. It explores how coins can be used to study the history of ancient communities, and why numismatics (the study of coins) remains an important discipline today.